OHIO -- I haven't seen this complaint yet... so I figure I should warn others. BANK OF AMERICA CAN GET YOU - EVEN IF YOU DON'T BANK WITH THEM!!! January 30, 2008 - I receive a letter (dated Jan 18) explaining that my 5/3 credit card is being transferred to Bank of America. I will receive my new cards the week of March 10, and my old account will be closed March 16. Not a pleasant surprise. I call 5/3 about the whole thing, they assure me I can opt out of the transfer if I send a written, signed opt out letter to FIA Card Services (Bank of America) by February 20.

February 8, 2008 - I read a news story about BoA raising rates randomly to excruciating levels. Now I REALLY don't want my credit card transferred to BoA. I immediately write 2 opt out letters - one from me, one from my husband. Both declaring our demand to opt out of the transfer to BoA, both asking for written correspondence acknowledging our opt out decision, both signed, etc. I send both letters, each in their own envelope, using USPS and Delivery Confirmation. It cost me a lot more money, but I felt it was worth it.

Feb 11, 2008 - I receive notice from the USPS website that both letters were delivered to FIA Card Services at 11:50 am. March 6 or 7, 2008 - Having not heard anything from BoA, I call customer service (I had to ask 5/3 for a phone number as the letter I received did not include a number for BoA). I was told there was no record of such a transfer and that the computers only showed that there was a major credit card transfer happening in May. That I must be mistaken about the time of the switchover and that I obviously won't need to worry about any of it for another two months.

March 12, 2008 - Open my mail... guess what?!? I have two shiny new credit cards from BoA! I have to search to find an actual customer service number on the papers included - but the activation phone number is printed EVERYWHERE. I call customer service. I explain. I'm told I need to talk to someone in Sales. I get switched over to... the automated customer service line!

I try again... same thing. I try yet again and I get hung up on. One more try and I am assured the representative will stay on the line to be sure I make it the sales department. She didn't stay on the line - and I was switched to... you guessed it, the automated customer service line. I again call back. I explain everything that has happened. This time it's a little different:

** (so and so) tells me she will help me. I go through the whole story again. She puts me on hold. She comes back and tells me that they can't do anything. I make a fuss. She puts me on hold again. She comes back to tell me that she was told that I CANNOT opt out of a credit card transfer (from one bank to another). I ask to speak to a supervisor. She tells me that the information she gave me is from her supervisor.

Eventually, her "supervisor" interrupts the call and talks to me. I explain everything yet again. He tells me that I opted out of rate changes - or something like that. I tell him I opted out of the transfer entirely by following the exact directions given to me by 5/3 Bank. He then claims that BoA bought out 5/3 Bank (not true at all). When that version doesn't work, he tells me that BoA bought my account from 5/3 and that's why I can't opt out. I calmly explained to him that the State Attorney General's office would be "all over their asses" by day's end. (Well, I was close).

I call 5/3, they confirm that I do have the option to opt out of the transfer (mind you, I have 4 days until my 5/3 account is closed and I HAVE to use BoA). I call my state's Attorney General's office - they, too, confirm that I am fully within my rights to opt out of the transfer to BoA. But, they can't handle my problem. They tell me to call Comptroller of Currencies (OCC - helpwithmybank.gov) and generously supplied me with a phone number.

So, I call. OCC also confirms that I have every right to opt out. I'm told to mail a complaint form. But my deadline is in 2 days (barring Sat and Sun since they're not business days)! I'm told to download the forms instead - fill them out - scan them - and e-mail copies of the completed forms. THANK YOU OCC! It's not every day someone helps you rush your complaints through.

After all of that, I call BoA again. I want to see if anything has progressed - or if they're ready to start fixing the problem. I call - they ask for the credit card account number. All of a sudden, they can find NO RECORD of the account number. They found it every single time I called earlier in the day. Hmm... interesting. They decide to switch me to Sales. Yes, again I was sent to the automated customer service line.

This time I talk to someone. She asks for every fine detail about my life that I can remember. She can find no record of this credit card account and tells me to call back on the 16th (the day my account will be finally switched over). No way in HELL will I wait that long. I explain to her that I already spent 2 hours on the phone with various BoA representatives - and that I've filed a complaint with Comptroller of Currencies. Guess what?! She asks me to hold. Several minutes later she comes back to tell me that she's leaving a note for her supervisor to handle this situation immediately. Hmm... interesting. Is the big bad OCC scary to BoA?

So, I sit and wait and hope that I do not have to do business with BoA. The moral of the story? RUN FAST AND HARD WHEN BANK OF AMERICA COMES KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR!!! And remember to keep track of every detail of everything. Mail letters with AT LEAST delivery confirmation. Write letters on your computer so dates are verified. Don't let Bank of America do this to you. And remember this site: helpwithmybank.gov

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BofA will close your credit cards if you apply for Obama HAMP modification!!!

By victimofBankOfAmerica - 12/19/2009

DALLAS, TEXAS -- Because of reduced income from my former home (now a rental property because it didn't sell when my job transferred out-of-state), I proactively sought a mortgage modification on my primary residence. I am current on my mortgage, but knew I needed lower monthly mortgage payments. My credit score was ~780. I started a trial mod, in which you make reduced payments for 3 months. During that time your payments are held in a separate account, and the mortgage company reports you as 30, 60, and 90 days late on your regular mortgage payment.

Even though you make the trial payments as instructed, the missing "normal" payment is considered "derogatory". Here's where Bank of America gets involved: I have 3 credit cards with them, due to bank mergers. B of A conducted a "review" of all my accounts because the trial mod caused a derogatory item on my credit report. B of A closed 1 card account, and reduced my available credit on the other 2 cards to a few dollars over the outstanding balance.

In 15 minutes BofA damaged my FICO score in 3 ways: 1. I went from using approximately 29% of my available BofA credit, to 99%. 2. My total available credit (on my credit report) was reduced to 75% of what it used to be. 3. The account they closed was a long-standing account, so the average "age" of my credit became lower. All these things damage my FICO in a big way.

My credit score will now be in the "fair" category, so I won't be able to get new credit or a reasonable car loan. I can't repair my credit until I reduce my indebtedness by over half... But B of A told me they will continue to reduce my available credit as I reduce my balance, preventing me from remedying the situation. This will further reduce my FICO, and when they eventually close the other 2 cards, it will be a MASSIVE FICO drop.

My payment history is perfect with B of A, and I ALWAYS pay more than the minimum payment. 2 of the 3 cards I always paid in full. This is how Bank of America "rewards" its excellent customers. I can't close the 2 remaining accounts and get a different credit card without further damaging my credit.

And now this credit score is preventing me from changing the terms on my rental property's mortgage (even though I am current on it too, just like I am current on all my debt). My new low FICO score caused by Bank of America's impulse reaction to the trial mod program definitely paints a different picture of me... EVEN THOUGH I STILL HAVE NEVER PAID LATE NOR BEEN A NON-PAYER FOR 20 years.

If you speak with BofA credit department, DO NOT REVEAL if you are in process of getting a mortgage modified. They will automatically close all your zero-balance cards and remove your ability to use your cards that have balances. DO NOT REVEAL THAT YOU ARE IN THE OBAMA Home Affordable PROGRAM!!! Bank of America will cut you!!!

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Good Customer Gets Cards Cancelled

By mjulia - 09/28/2009

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE -- I had two BofA credit cards although I'd forgotten I had two as I got divorced six years ago and only had one in my wallet. I heard somewhere that if you didn't use your credit card the bank would cancel it. I am 63, single, self-supporting, and self-employed. I've worked hard to build up my credit score. Approx. four months ago I used the credit card already in my wallet to make a large purchase at Lowe's so I wouldn't have the card canceled. I never got a bill. Right after 30 days was up, I called them and they told me I didn't owe them any money. I thought maybe I'd mistakenly used my USAA credit card.

In Sept. I got a notice from credit watch that my credit rating had changed, from 730 (good) to 680 (fair). BofA had reported me delinquent on two payments on my credit card. I called them and they told me I didn't owe them any money. I asked them to run a search. She did and said she would fax me a letter saying that I don't owe them any money. That was approx. 9/16. I didn't receive a fax so I called back. This time the person ran a search and found my bill. I paid it off over the phone. I asked to have the two late notices removed from my credit card and he said he couldn't but he was transferring me to customer satisfaction and they would.

Instead I got a rude woman who determined that the address on that card was wrong which is why I didn't get a bill. That was when I figured out what happened: I had one credit card in my wallet, I moved, the other credit card not in my wallet managed to get to my new address. I thought it was a replacement for the card in my wallet which I'd already charged on so as not to lose my card (I hadn't used either card for anything in over two years).

I cut up the card in my wallet not realizing there were different numbers and put the, what I thought, replacement card in my wallet so when I was calling they were looking up the wrong card number and I didn't know it but I did repeatedly ask them to search for any debt I might owe BofA and they said they did from the very first phone call. The rude woman corrected the address and after I paid it off, I closed the account.

I asked her to reverse the bad credit ratings and she said she'd have to transfer me which she did to an even ruder man who told me it was my fault and they'd do nothing, even after I asked him and he acknowledged the number of times over months that I'd called. He said it was my problem not BofAs. He was rude, saying he wouldn't reverse anything. I hung up and called back and got a nice woman, explained the entire story, she immediately reversed the late payment complaints and then said she needed to ask me some questions. I agreed and answered her questions. Since my credit limit was $57,500 on the card I had left I figured she was going to reduce my limit.

At no time did she give any reason for asking me questions. Then she put me on hold, came back, and said she was closing my account because I don't make enough to have a credit card with them. Nothing in my life has changed since they issued the two cards with high limits. I told her I make good money but am self employed so a lot of what I earn does go to overhead but I live where I work so it's not that bad. She said that was too bad. I then asked her if I could close the account and she said, "No," the she'd made the decision so it would be recorded that way.

I said she knew that would ding my credit and she said she did know that but she wouldn't let me close the account, she was going to do it. I hung up in tears. I am the one who called them repeatedly to pay a bill they couldn't find. I am the one who had a card with a $57,500 limit and the other was also high, and I had no balance, except that one bill, on either card. I am the same responsible person they gave two high limit credit cards to less than six years ago. Now I have no cards with them which is good because I'll never do business with them but they have dinged my credit and been very unfair to me.

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Bank of America Trickery

By Karen22 - 08/21/2009

I am so upset I can barely type. Today I received an opt-out notice from my Citi/Sears card raising my rate to over 25% or I have to opt out. So I decided to move the debt to a lower interest card. I have had for many, many years a Bank of America card with a $22,000 limit and I only owed $7,500. The interest rate was bad at 14.9 but better than the 25% with which I was suddenly faced at Sears. I have never been late on a payment for Bank of America and have a very good credit rating, so I went to the website to see what transfer options were available.

The website (which doesn't list APRs anywhere reasonably available for the consumer to see) INVITED me to take advantage of my good credit and my available balance to transfer other cards and I could have applied online but decided in an abundance of caution to talk to a live person. After being on hold for half an hour, I finally got to a personable young man who assured me this would be no problem at all - he just needed to get "approval" from a supervisor.

After another long hold I was greeted by a very aggressive young man with a demand for how much money I made last year, what my mortgage payments and office rent were, all my sources of income, how many employees I have and so forth. I am self employed, I was upset already about Sears having done what it did, and I didn't have any records or financial info in front of me late at night and out of the blue.

Finally, the man informed me that I had "too much" credit card debt and demanded to know what my PLAN was for paying it off. I was so taken by surprise that I stammered around and didn't make a very good answer and I was already upset. Without taking into account that I have over two hundred thousand equity in my home and a paid for $10,000 vehicle (part of the other low rate debt I have), this man not only denied the transfer (saying I "didn't need to incur any more debt" when I wasn't incurring any more, only seeking to MOVE it to a lower interest rate).

But he LOWERED MY CREDIT LIMIT BY $15,000 to only $200 over what I presently owe. So now, simply because I was upset and tried to accept Bank of America's INVITATION, I was punished by having my credit limit lowered which will look bad to other companies which will then also use it as an excuse to screw me over. In a few minutes, I went from having a nice credit score and an emergency resource to a decreased credit score and NO emergency resource (not even enough available credit to buy a ticket to a funeral).

The guy punished me for ASKING for a credit transfer by lowering my limit (rest assured they'll find a way to raise the rate again, too) and it was posted on the Bank of America website before I had even hung up the phone. I would never have called about the transfer if Bank of America had not INVITED me to do so on its website. This is purely a trick and a scam to extract financial info from consumers to use as an excuse to benefit Bank of America. My advice is never ever give them any financial info they can use against you and not to deal with them at all if there is any alternative. Being honest, faithful and timely gets you nothing but treachery from Bank of America.

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B of A Participated in Criminal Fraud against Me

By Renee - 05/08/2013

Rating: 1/51

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA -- Bank of America refused to reverse charges from Community Legal Center, a company that defrauded me. Basically, Bank of America is an accessory to the criminal fraud described below. In billing disputes, B of A sides with the merchant 99.9% of the time, even when they have a stack of consumer complaints against the merchant. They make it very, very easy for dishonest merchants to rip people off. I would not recommend B of A to my worst enemy.

This legal center is a total scam. They advertise a one hour consultation for $50 every Saturday on a drop in basis. Then they ask for your credit card to charge the $50 fee to and then start charging your card for additional charges BEFORE they even give you your consultation and without your authorization for these phony charges. If you ask your credit card company to reverse them, they will produce documents with your forged signature. If you show them ANY documents during the consultation, they will claim they copied them at a cost of $23.75 per page.

The consultation is supposed to include a brief review of legal documents related to your legal issues. However, if the attorney asks even a single question on any legal document you are showing them, this becomes another fee over and above the consultation at a rate of $95 per one minute question. All their quotes and legal agreements are on a huge database and it takes them all of two minutes to pull up these pre-prepared forms and put your name into the quote or the agreement but this very brief service becomes a $200 fee.

And if you, the customer, complete any legal forms on your own WITHOUT asking the center's employees ANY questions, the time YOU spend filling out the forms becomes billable time. Gee, I bet tax accountant wish they all could charge clients for preparing their own tax returns!!! These folks are charging $275 an hour for having the customer fill out their own forms with no assistance.

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Royal Caribbean Rewards

By Slimjim - 04/06/2011

I wrote a compliment on an RC cruise last week and am following that up with some notes about Bank of America's Royal Caribbean rewards program. We got the card a couple years ago to build up some points for our next upcoming RC cruise. We had over 64k by the time we were ready to redeem them. I get nervous with these times of promos as there can easily be something that goes south and gives the customer a cheated feeling.

Fortunately, after carefully following the redemption instructions, we started the cruise with the knowledge they did process everything as expected and we had our $600 on board credit waiting. Since just about everything you buy, either on board or destination excursions, is bought with your room key and pre-established account, the credit really was a bonafide benefit.

Things to know if you are building RC points with a BOA credit card: Call and redeem your points about 2 months outside your depart date. They have to send you these coupons, which take about 4 weeks to get. Then you have to send those back to Royal Caribbean in time to process. You can only redeem them in blocks of 5000 or more. I almost missed getting them credited in time because I was waiting to squeeze out as many as I could. Turns out I ended up still having to keep almost 4000, the balance left after turning in the others in 5k groups.

The rules state to redeem them before making final payment on your cruise, but that isn't always possible and the word is "unofficially" that they merely prefer that. Send the coupons to RC by certified mail to prove you did your part in case something isn't as it should be. Overall, a pretty limited offer by BOA, compared to a straight cash back rewards program, but if you are doing an RC cruise anyway like we were, it turned out to be a nice bonus.

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Never use Bank of America as credit card processor

By wvcfo - 11/19/2010

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON -- We have used Bank of America as our company's credit card processor for several years. Annually we process over a million in sales. We have few chargebacks and of those we win 99%. Recently we had a customer combine multiple of his company's accounts with us onto one bill and then paid in full with his credit card. A week after the transaction was processed we receive a call on a Friday at 4:15pm and are told the charge is being investigated as fraud, can we prove it's a valid charge.

The individual from Bank of America would tell me only the amount of charge not date it was processed and when asked for further information I was informed he didn't have information. This wasn't actually his job he was helping out ** because she was behind in her work. He then left me a phone number and fax number saying I needed to submit proof of valid charge.

After researching the charge, I immediately attempted to call them back only to find out that they were done for the day at 4:30. I faxed them the cardholder's name and the nature of the charge saying yes it was valid. I submitted this information on corporate letterhead and signed by myself as Owner and CFO the company. I then receive a letter dated 2 days prior to phone call that states they are going to hold my account funds until fraud investigation is complete.

A week later, ** from the fraud dept calls and says I didn't send her enough information. I ask "what more needs submitted?" And she says "an invoice." I already sent an exact description of the services purchased as well as cardholder name and company services were purchased for. She told me I hadn't sent the cardholder's information and she needed a better invoice. I said I sent the only invoice we have. I can print out whatever it doesn't change what I already sent. If they were concerned that we had wrongly charged this cardholder, why not contact him? I could create invoices but the only way to really prove it was a valid charge would be to contact the cardholder.

The cardholder was not and is not disputing the charge. This is all stemming from within Bank of America because the charge in question was $3000 larger than our previous largest single charge processed. ** then informed me she had researched the cardholder and did have all of his information. The same cardholder had processed another payment with us a month prior for an amount half of the current charge in question.

I then sent another invoice with the cardholder's address on file but stopped at giving my customer's phone number out. Three weeks later I receive a letter from Bank of America stating they have terminated our accounts and are also holding on to almost $5000 of ours. Upon calling them, we again get the run around from ** that they need an invoice, of which we have sent 2. We asked to speak to her supervisor and were informed that the only way to get our money is to refund the charge.

At this point 2 credit card billing cycles have passed and the cardholder has not disputed the charge. The supervisor then tells us the problem is the charge is too large for our account because it is the largest charge we have ever processed but again by only a couple thousand dollars. After more arguing the supervisor finally states that the problem is the address we have. It's the cardholder's work address and he used a personal card with his home address.

Why in my previous conversations wasn't that mentioned? I would have gladly called the customer and gotten his home address. Instead they have kept $4900 that is not theirs. Shut down my account so we cannot currently conduct business with credit cards. We immediately contacted the cardholder who is a regular customer and were told he paid his credit card bill in full shortly after charge was processed, over 2 months ago. Bank of America has yet to release our money or give us a date as to when it will be released. We have switched to a new processor, with lower rates, better customer service and Bank of America just lost over $42,000 in processing fees.

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Predatory Credit Practices by B of A

By mymadison - 08/26/2010

I called Bank of America wanting to see if I could get my credit card rate reduced. They slipped a rate increase in on me over a year ago, and I didn't see their little notice until it was too late to opt out. I have had my "Premium" Bank of America card since 2002. After they raised my rate, I protested, but they refused to lower it.

Since then I have just paid the bill every month in a timely manner, paying over $2400 interest in the last year alone on a $10K balance. When I called to ask them to reduce my rate, I pointed this out, and they referred me to their department for that, and I got someone who identified himself as **.

** said B of A does not lower their rates unless you go through their preferred "3rd Party Credit Counseling" company and do a debt reorganization process. He got heavy-handed with me in the process, saying if I didn't do the credit counseling, my credit would eventually be ruined. Now understand, I have a general history of maintaining my credit on time, and I was being very polite with him.

He was just making all kinds of assumptions about what a deadbeat I was and telling me how hopeless it was. He wanted to transfer me directly over to his credit counseling company while he was on the line, and he wouldn't tell me this company's name either, he generalized it to "oh there are several..." Only after I questioned him on the effects to our credit rating did he admit that this credit counseling would damage my credit rating for the next 5 years. He was trying to tell me it really didn't matter, that I didn't need a good credit rating because I'd probably just go do damaging things with it!

I took the company's number (800-214-7996) and politely begged off. I wasn't ready to just stop trying with my credit, and I'm not ready to trash my credit, and that is my right. Even then, he continued to make these insulting remarks about how things were just going to get worse for us. But the part that really got me was, 2 minutes later, he called me back to inform me that he had just slashed the credit limit on a credit card in my HUSBAND'S name, which we had recently paid DOWN by $2000.

He had reduced it down to very close to the new balance we had paid it down to, apparently in response to my asking for an interest rate reduction. I asked him, "Why did you do this to us? I went to a lot of trouble to pay my husband's card down, to improve our credit score; the balance-to-limit ratio matters in our credit score, we've been told this repeatedly."

First he said, "Well, it isn't your card anyway, it's your husband's card." And I answered "I pay the bills and I know what we paid on it and why it still hurts our credit? We have been working so hard to improve it." And in reply he threatened, "Well you shouldn't complain. I COULD just close your cards on you."

I was flabbergasted. He further went on to tell me that the balance-to-limit ratio doesn't matter much anyway, not to people like us. I was just so angry at his tactics because I believe that the purpose of this was to try to force us into a position where we would have fewer options. You know, we could have balance transferred the B of A credit card to another card with a lower interest rate... but with his tactic of lowering our score, our chances of doing that are now greatly reduced.

He knew what he was doing to us - it's railroading and it's destructive. BEWARE! If you are trying to improve your situation and you call up and try work with Bank of America. They will probably go on a power trip and do something nasty to you too. It benefits them to put you in a bad position, make no mistake. America is being squeezed.

Damage Resulting: Damage to our credit rating. It will make it harder for us to negotiate our rates and payments down, which will make it harder for us to pay down our credit cards. His actions and his heavy-handedness also made me so angry that for the past 24 hours I have been unable to get on with things and unable to sleep.

He was trying to convince me that I was doomed and had no choice and I feel that his actions were retaliatory for my not going with his credit company. It isn't right to be treated this way by a creditor that you have been paying as agreed. And creditors should not be pimping for credit counseling services that ruin your credit.

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Fraudulent Late Fees and Interest Levied on Undelivered Statements

By B of A's Worst Nightmare - 06/27/2010

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE -- I have held this credit card account since 2004 with the same address. I pay the balance due IN FULL every month. Approximately six months ago, just after the new regulations went into effect, I began to have issues with getting my statement. I noted that I had not received a statement and called their toll free customer service number. Upon verifying my address, I found that after 6 years of using that same address, they had somehow mysteriously had it wrong in their system.

As the bill was not due at that time, I had them correct the address, requested a copy of the statement and the amount due, went to the bank, and paid it IN FULL. The next few statements arrived and were paid IN FULL. Last month, 5/2010, I received a call from a B of A representative, two days after the March bill was due, informing me that both the February and March bills had gone unpaid.

Upon verifying my address, it was determined that B of A, once again, my address in their system had mysteriously been altered. The representative, once again, corrected the address, credited me for late charges in the amount of $78 for the 2 months, although I don't know if interest charges were credited because I have not received another statement since then.

I did, however, receive the two statements "ACCOMPANIED BY A LETTER STATING THAT THEY WERE PROVIDED EITHER AT MY REQUEST OR BECAUSE STATEMENTS HAD BEEN DAMAGED DURING THEIR PRINTING PROCESS" for February and March at that same address several days later. No mention was made of THEIR error. I have not received a statement since then.

This morning, realizing that I had not received a statement again, I called B of A "customer service" and was told they had the right address and that my statements had been mailed, and once again, the payment was overdue, but they could/would not reverse any late charges. They suggested I contact the post office but I have absolutely never had any problem receiving any Print Complaint Form.

3 of 5 6/27/2010 10:54 AM credit card statements or other mail at that address and B of A has screwed it up 3 times in six months, so arguably there is something wrong there. I asked for a supervisor and spoke with a ** who basically repeated the same thing again. When I told her I wanted to speak with a superior she said she could have someone call me back within 3 days.

When I asked her for some means of identifying her, she replied that none was available except her name was **, no transaction id, last name, or other means was to be provided to me. When I asked for a dispute form, she stated that it was on the back of the statement (which I hadn't received) and said I "couldn't dispute a late charge" using that form. When I asked how to dispute one, she said "with me".

After that it all gets rather circular. I find it highly suspicious that, as soon as the new credit card rules became mandatory, all of a sudden billing addresses have been mysteriously altered. Oddly, I regularly receive junk mail from B of A that address with no problem. I also find it highly suspicious that the only statement that has this difficulty is the one that gets PAID IN FULL every month. It's the bank's position that I should pay my bill regardless of any demand for payment, although my agreement with them clearly states that "charges will be billed".

Because the bank representative informed me that I have no recourse, refuses to identify anyone in authority to deal with or provide any verification that they have mailed the statements, I will be consulting with an attorney experienced in class action litigation with financial institutions to determine if there is a pattern of this kind of conduct and a certifiable class. It seems to me just another way for the institution to make money from people who manage their credit responsibly.

I have filed complaints with the Comptroller of the Currency at the Federal Reserve, and with the NC Attorney General's Office, and am seeking counsel with experience in Class Actions vs. Banks. If you have had a similar experience, feel free to contact me at ** at Yahoo.

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Bank of America Did Not Take the Steps Necessary to Protect My Privacy and My Ex's Credit

By Stephie71 - 04/08/2010

PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON -- 2 and a half years ago my ex husband and I became legally separated, we both went into Bank of America in Port Angeles WA, their 8th street branch and sat down with a banking specialist to pay off our joint Visa card and close our joint checking account.

At that time we did pay off our Visa and ** and I signed a paper to remove him from the Visa card and any responsibility that he may have towards any future debt. The woman had sad that I could keep my account open and in my name as well as the checking and savings account because it was an original account I had from when I was younger, opened in 1977 with a Savings account in my name.

I originally asked to keep the accounts open in my name only (with my ex husband sitting right beside me). For convenience sake I had payments on my Visa that came monthly like magazines, make up, etc. The banker said it would be fine and we both asked several times that he was no longer on the card or held any responsibility. The Banker assured us each time that he was no longer on the account nor responsible and could not access my Visa statements (that was one of my concerns). All was well...

Until I had some medical issues that were not covered by my insurance and I found myself struggling financially. I am a single Mom with three kids, two are my ex's, ages 13 & 15. My youngest is 15 months. I became behind in my credit card payments and tried to make a plan for repayment with the credit card company, but they wanted too much money a month and I couldn't do it. That is when they went after my ex husband.

So then not only was I dealing with the bank but a very angry ex husband who's credit score was being tampered with and he has now sent me a letter from a Collection lawyer with the intent to sue me...for the amount I owe the Visa Co. (it has now been bought by a junk debt collection agency)...

I enrolled myself into a Credit Solutions program in Jan and have been working with them to repay not only this debt but others as well including medical. To be hit with this new problem, I am just drowning and so embarrassed. I always had exceptional credit and am such a private person. My ex was allowed to get copies of my monthly statements over the last couple of years and has shared them with "friends" that he got in the divorce, hahaha!

It is such a mess. This is a private problem of mine one I was trying to take care of myself without worrying those I love. My Dad has terminal cancer and a tumor near his heart, word of this to him and it would devastate him. He tries so hard to be there for us all.

I have spoken with a lawyer well a few and none of them in my small town can I find to help me, the one and only one that keeps getting refereed to me is my ex-husbands lawyer. But they all have agreed that this issue is one that should be taken up with Bank of America not me and that I now have a case with them as well.

We both have tried to talk with Bank of America. (My ex cannot locate the copy of the paper work he signed) and have gotten no where. When I asked for paper work from them like a copy of the original application I was told it would be sent to me, but all I received was a paper saying the item I requested could not be located. And when I asked why he was not removed from the Visa account they said because he was not approved to be removed. That is nothing that was told to us at the time or I would have never asked to keep the account and he would never have agreed to it.

I do not have the finances to go after Bank of America myself or to be sued by my ex who has taken the law into his own hands and ceased paying me maintenance & is threatening to put a lien on my home and make me pay his court costs...the letter states that I wrongfully used a credit card in his name. I never knew that he was not removed. I did not wrongfully do anything. I had no ill intent.

I had no reason to believe Bank of America did not do what they said they would. The Banking specialist assured me that he was off the card as of that day. He said that I could go out and use it that moment and he was no longer responsible. I hope you can help me or point me in a direction of help. Thank you so much for your time reading this.